19 Popular American History Myths You Probably Believe

American history is full of fascinating facts that don’t need embellishment or false narratives to make it captivating. However, through the years, many commonly held beliefs, some of which are entirely false, have taken hold, sometimes even taught in our history books. From George Washington’s teeth to Pocahontas and John Smith to the Declaration of Independence, we’ve rounded up 19 American history myths that are sometimes taught as facts.

To compile this list of common misconceptions about American history, 24/7 Tempo consulted various entertainment and historical sources, including Grunge and Time Magazine. We then selected “facts” that have had significant cultural impacts across different areas of history. Finally, details were corroborated using reputable sources such as History.com, the History of Massachusetts, and Mount Vernon. (If you’re looking for more American advice than history, discover life lessons from the 1900s that are still relevant today. )

Christopher Columbus Discovered America

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Although we’ve been told Columbus discovered America our entire lives, he did not. Yes, Columbus made four trips across the Atlantic to North America, but those trips only took him to the Caribbean Islands like the Bahamas and Hispaniola (now Haiti and the Dominican Republic), and eventually to Central and South America. It could be said that he was the first European to make it to North America, but even that is stretching it. Evidence suggests that Norse explorer Leif Erickson made it to North America some four hundred years earlier than Columbus. Even still, this untrue fact is still commonly taught to American children in school.

Christopher Columbus Sailed on the Nina, Pinta, and Santa Maria

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When Columbus set sail for the Americas on his famed transatlantic voyage, it has always been told that he and his men were on the Nina, the Pinta, and the Santa Maria. However, the names of the two ships were La Santa Clara (Niña) and La Santa Gallega (Santa Maria). It is believed that the Pinta was its correct name but even that remains unknown.

John Smith and Pocahontas Fell in Love

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John Smith arrived in Virginia to establish the Jamestown settlement in 1607 when he was 27. He met Pocahontas when she was 11 years old. Her real name was Amonute, and was called Matoaka in private but it was her nickname that has been passed down throughout history. Smith wrote in his diaries that Amonute saved his life when her family tried to execute him. He also mentions that they formed a friendship while he was in captivity, even teaching each other their respective languages.

There is no mention of a romance. It is believed that Pocahontas was married twice. First in 1610, to Kocoum who was a tribal member, and later in 1614, when she converted to Christianity, was renamed Rebecca, and married John Rolfe.

Witches Were Burned at the Stake in the Salem Witch Trials

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The famous New England Salem Witch Trials in 1692 did see numerous women killed for their alleged practice of witchcraft but none were burned (this was a practice used in Europe during medieval times). The majority of them were hanged, not from platforms with trap doors but from ladders to prolong their deaths.

“The British are Coming!”

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Paul Revere’s famous ride to warn of the incoming British is a famous historical tidbit, and only partly false. While Revere did indeed ride through towns to warn of impending invasion, he did so rather discreetly for fear of already installed British forces. What’s more, some forty men joined him in his raising of alarm. The untrue version of this fact can be attributed to Henry Wadsworth Longfellow’s poem “Paul Revere’s Ride.”

George Washington Had Wooden Teeth

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George Washington was notorious for having serious dental issues but his false teeth were made of an ivory, lead, and gold mixture. It is thought the wooden claim is due to his worn-down dentures taking on a grainy appearance much like wood. (For other strange presidential trivia, discover the weirdest facts about every American president .)

Thomas Edison Invented the Lightbulb

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Thomas Edison is often credited with the invention of the lightbulb, but he wasn’t the first or only one, rather he was the only one to first patent the idea (in 1879). It was Italian inventor Alessandro Volta who, in 1800, successfully developed the method for electricity; then came inventor Humphrey Davy who in 1802 developed the first electric lamp, known as the electric arc lamp. Several others followed suit, improving on the models, which is what Edison eventually did – improved an already existing, but not practical, model.

Slavery Happened Only in the South

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Slavery was confined to the Southern States only after a certain point in American history. Some of the earliest adopters of slavery were in northern states like Massachusetts, and numerous founding fathers including Thomas Jefferson and George Washington owned slaves.

The Declaration of Independence was signed on July 4th

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Independence Day  – July 4th – celebrates the signing of the Declaration of Independence, when our nation first became a country in 1776. But this isn’t actually when it was signed. While July 4th was the day the final edition of the declaration was agreed upon, it would not be officially signed until two months later in August of 1776.

The Declaration of Independence was Signed on Hemp Paper

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The Declaration of Independence was said to have been signed on Hemp Paper but this was not the case. The famous document was made of parchment, a type of animal skin, typically made from sheepskin. This incorrect “fact” might have come from the classic stoner movie “Dazed and Confused.”

The First Thanksgiving was a Peaceful Collaboration Between Native Americans and Colonists

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It has always been thought that the first Thanksgiving was a peaceful union between Colonists and nearly Native Americans but history regarding the event remains murky. Some say there was a shared three-day feast between the groups, while others say the Native Americans weren’t even invited. Either way, the relationship between the groups was already shaky due to invasion, violence, and the spread of smallpox.

The Emancipation Proclamation Freed the Slaves

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While the Emancipation Proclamation technically freed the slaves living in the Southern States, it was issued amid the Civil War. Southern states were already in active rebellion, so the idea of them adhering to an enemy proclamation wasn’t likely. Plus, the non-Condeferate slave-owning states like Delaware or Missouri were completely unaffected. The Emancipation Proclamation was more of a symbol than an actionable change.

The Civil War was Fought Over States Rights

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The Civil War wasn’t solely fought over one specific issue but was an accumulation of various factors. After decades of tension between the Northern and Southern states, the election of President Abraham Lincoln brought it all to a head. Major factors were slavery, (or the economic policies and practices of slavery), states’ rights, and Westward expansion, with the main goal of the North to preserve the Union.

Only Japanese-Americans Were Interned During World War II

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It wasn’t only Japanese-Americans who were forced into Internment Camps during World War II. Besides over 100,000 Japanese-Americans, over 11,000 German-Americans, as well as several thousand Japanese-Latin Americans and 250 Italian-Americans were temporarily imprisoned during the war.

Ronald Reagan Freed the Iran Hostages

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Ronald Reagan freed the hostages in Iran, or so history believes. Though the hostages were released upon his inauguration as president, it was the former president Jimmy Carter who negotiated for their release for months before it was finally agreed upon. Former Texas governor John B. Connally, Jr., in his resolve to help elect then-Republican nominee Reagan, told Iran that if they held the release until after the election, Regan would likely become president, and they would get a better deal.

The Liberty Bell Cracked on Independence Day

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The famous Liberty Bell in Philadelphia is said to have cracked on Independence Day but the bell, once known as the State House bell, started forming its infamous crack in the early 1840s and began to affect its sound. In 1846, after repairing it, the bell was rung for George Washington’s birthday, which is when it obtained its fatal crack and has never been rung since.

Betsy Ross Designed the American Flag

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One of the biggest U.S. history facts we’ve been taught is that Betsy Ross designed the American Flag. However, some historians now believe that it was designed by New Jersey Congressman, and founding father, Francis Hopkinson. The flag was “created” in a sense by Betsy Ross because she was the one who sewed it.

The United States Is a True Democracy

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The United States has never been a true democracy, an idea where the power is exercised directly by the people. Even the founding fathers thought the best form of governance for the new country was a mixture of democracy, aristocracy, and monarchy. To be accurate, the United States is far closer to a constitutional republic than a true democracy and is labeled a representative democracy, where its government is elected by the people.  (For a more paranoid bent, discover the most unbelievable conspiracy theories. )

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